education-program

这段内容是审核时保存的快照。外部来源才是完整且最新的版本。

---
name: education-program
description: When the user wants to plan, implement, or optimize student and education discount programs. Also use when the user mentions "student discount," "education discount," "student plan," "for students," ".edu discount," "academic pricing," "student verification," "SheerID," "UNiDAYS," or "education program." For startup pricing page, use startups-page-generator.
metadata:
  version: 1.0.1
---

# Channels: Education Program

Guides student and education discount programs as an acquisition channel. Targets students and educators; common for SaaS, dev tools, and productivity apps. ~65% of students who use professional tools in school continue using them in their first jobs—education discounts are long-term customer acquisition, not just revenue loss.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for product, audience, and pricing.

Identify:
1. **Product type**: SaaS, dev tool, design tool, productivity
2. **Student fit**: Is your ICP or future ICP student-aged?
3. **Discount structure**: First-time vs renewal; % or fixed
4. **Verification**: .edu, student ID, third-party (SheerID, UNiDAYS)

## Education Program vs Other Channels

| Dimension | Education Program | Startups Program | Referral |
|-----------|-------------------|------------------|----------|
| **Audience** | Students, educators | Founders, early-stage | Existing users |
| **Incentive** | Discount, free tier | Discount, credits | Discount, credits |
| **Verification** | .edu, student ID, SheerID/UNiDAYS | Revenue, team size | None (user-driven) |
| **LTV focus** | Future customers; 65% continue post-grad | Early adopters | Referred users |

## Discount Structures

| Type | Typical Range | Use |
|------|---------------|-----|
| **First-time / registration** | 30–50% off | Apply at signup; drives conversion |
| **Ongoing / renewal** | 15–25% off | Retain students; lower than first-time |
| **Free tier** | Full access free | JetBrains, GitHub Education; highest adoption |
| **Flat academic rate** | Simplified pricing | Easier for students to understand |

**Example**: 30% off on registration day; 15% off on renewal. Align with **discount-marketing-strategy** for financial guardrails (LTV:CAC, qualification criteria).

## Verification

| Method | Use |
|--------|-----|
| **.edu email** | Instant; low friction; US-centric |
| **Student ID upload** | Manual review; global; document must show name, institution, expiry |
| **SheerID** | Third-party; 200K+ data sources; verify → promo code at checkout |
| **UNiDAYS** | Third-party; 98%+ automated; 800+ brands; marketplace reach |

**When to verify**: At registration (recommended when discount applies at signup) or at checkout. Registration-time verification = single decision point; user claims discount where they convert.

## Placement Priority

| Priority | Location | Purpose |
|----------|----------|---------|
| **P0** | Registration / signup flow | User claims discount here; must show when discount applies at signup |
| **P1** | Pricing page | Student tier or "Student discount" block; keeps single decision point |
| **P1** | Homepage banner or CTA | "Students: 30% off today, 15% off ongoing"; top-banner-generator |
| **P2** | Standalone page /student-discount | Optional; for "student discount" SEO or paid ad landing page |

**Principle**: When discount applies at registration, core placement is registration flow. Pricing page and homepage support discovery. Standalone page only if needed for SEO or ads—avoid duplication when persona pages (e.g. "for students") already exist.

## Page Strategy

| Approach | When |
|----------|------|
| **Embed in pricing** | Stud